Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-30
NEW YORK LETTER.
rHH POLITICS AND THE POLITICIANS
OF eoTHAK.
Pen Wine. Drinking-The Ter.
rapin Club-strange Business
Career-The Drama.
correspondence Of the Richmond DispAtch.I


was struck by the general air Of happi-
ness and good humor that pervaded the
place. 1t was in the very heat of the
POLITICAL fight, and the big room was
filled with politicians, actors, and men
about town. Familiar faces were seen
on every side-irom such fedglings as
Edward SothCrn, son Of the famous
old comedian, and James q. Blaine,
Jr., to old-timers like Harry Hill, the
dive-keeper, and Frank Work, the
banker. Young Sothern has rather a
striking face, hut his companion,
Blaine, is about as sappy, puerile, and
effeminate-looking a youngster rs !
have ever seen. His features are small,
his figure slim, and he dresses in the
most advanced and dudish attire. He
looks like dude from the suburbs,
and not dude from New York. There
is a certain provincialism about HIM
that intensifies the effect of his absurd
clothes.
De Lancey Nicoll has just been en-
dorsed by the Republicans for the dis
trict attorneyship. 1t is in one sense
the most remarkable fight that has yet
taken place for that Office in the his
tory of New York politics. The dis
t1ict attorneys Office did its duty under
the law in prosecuting the Doodle alder
men. New York was so delighted at
the Giscovc ry that it had at least one
faithful department in its city govern
ment that it Immediately seized upon
all its employees and tried to exalt
them in political favor. There is some
thing almost painful in the effect of
any kindness ON the part of New
York office holder TO a voter. 1t is so
unexpected and delightful n sensa-
ton to the said voter that he be-
comes the slave to the Office
holder off-haBd. Colonel Fellows and
De Lancey Nicoll were both prominent
in the Doodle trials. Nicoll worked
the cases up, and Colonel Fellows, who
is an eloquent orator and an old-time
Democratic war-horse, summed up.
He is one of the most brilliant and re-
markable speakers in the country. Both
men were Democrats and both had a
strong local following. The Demo
cratic party has big majority in New
York city. There was n great struggle
between the friends of Nicoll and Eel
lows to see which should get the nOmi
nation. Fellows got it. District-At
torney MARITIME was nominated for the
bench, and Nicoll was left out in the
cold. 1hereupon NicOll decided to run
on an independent ticket and he was
taken up and Endorsed by the Republi
can party. 1t was Just after the Re
publicans had Endorsed the young adj
vocate that ! strolled into the Hoffman
House.
MANY FRIENDS.
NicOll had put his head in the door
for q moment and he was insta ltly
surrounded 10y friends He was quiet
and dignified, but he could not help
showing some of the citation he felt
over the proofs he had just had Of his
popularity. He shook hands heartily
with lis friends and hastily retired.
Colonel Fellows, small of stature, TO-
fund, Ied-iaced, and genial, stood
by the oyster-counter with a fork in
one hand and wary eye on the Oys-
tiers. Every instant some man would
rush up and seize him by the hand and
nearly wrineing it off of his arm, while
be promised his enthusiastic support
and prophesiCd victory. The Colonel
would smile, squeeze the hand in re-
turn, spear an oyster, and swallow
il hastily in time for the next man.
A small circle Of enthusiastic adj
mirers stood about four feet away, and
gazed lovingly at the orator and candi-
date. Commissioner Jacob Hess and
Senator Fred. Gibbs stoodarm-and-arm
at the bar, two stalwart, broad-shoul-
dered and happy men. They are war
horses of the Republican party. Talk
ing to them was Douglas Levine, a
small, thick set, and amiable man that
does not believe in anything that is
not Dem cratic. Jimmy Oliver, once
a newsboy and now a legislator, stood
with his arm on Ed. StOkess shoulder,
talking confdentially to the millionaire
Spectator and hotel-keeper. Both
men were prematurely gray, and thor
white heads were il sharp contrast to
their ruddy faces Congressman
Bourke Cochran, who has head
like a buffalo, stood talking to
l.. G. Gilmore, and Little Marshall
Wilder and Bob billiard were rolling
around in two chairs and pounding the
tables in front of them with delight at
each others stories. They presented
wonderful contrast. IiilGar1 tall,
athletic, well nodded, handsome, and
the acknowledged king of the dudes
Wilder, a dwarf, or rather cripple,
lacking everything that billiard pos
sessod except unbounded animal spirits
and exhaustless good nature. Maurice
Barrymore, suavc and muscular, leaned
over y. G.. GunIer, the playwright, and
discussed the limitations of different
actors, while James Barton Ley wan
dered around amiably from one group
to another, his round face beaming
happily. General Barnum and Major
Rice talked war and Republicanism till
the glasses danced on the bar,
and there were dozens OF FOUNDERS
and Wall-street men like Charlie Johns,
JEFF George, and Sam King, who drank
champagne literally and were willing
to bet on anything in sight. No re-
ception in private house could ever
have had the ease and jollity of this as
man Neto oN1hSAAe~Ns
with his neighbor, though there were 200
men in theroom, and, curiously enough,
there was very little drinking at the
bar. Occasionally some one would
give an order, but the glasses stood idle
while the discussions waxed hot. 1t
was the fun of the meeting there that
caused the crowd to collect for a chat
an hour before bedtime.
wINE-DRISKING.
On one of the streets of New York
running at night angles with Broadway
is big but dingy store. Great brass
signs on either side of the door indi-
cate that il is wholesale wine house.
You enter the offices, which have a
dark but not depressing appearance,
and are met by one of the retainerS, who
inquiries your business. You state that
you wish to see the head of the house,
and after some delay you are shown
into the inner Office of the establish.
ment. A man who looks the type OF
an elderly French count, but who is a
German, sits slipping champagne with
O rich customer, and when you en-
ter he taps a bell and orders the
retainer, who responds to the call, TO
bring another quart bottle OF wine.
- g flo g.,